I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Western Australia in 2005, before undertaking a PhD, also at the University of Western Australia. My PhD, under the supervision of Professor Jonathan Foster and Dr Anke van Eekelen, investigated the influence of oral glucose ingestion and glucose regulation on verbal episodic memory in adolescents.
From September 2009-August 2010 I worked as a Postdoctoral Research Officer at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research and Curtin University in Perth, Australia. I worked on several projects including:
An fMRI study investigating the influence of cortisol exposure during adolescence on adult brain function
Studies relating to omega-3 effects on depression and cognitive performance
A longitudinal investigation of psychosocial determinants of risky sexual behaviour in adolescents
In September 2010 I joined the Department of Psychology at Northumbria University, United Kingdom as a Lecturer, and subsequently Senior Lecturer. In 2017 I was promoted to Associate Professor. I am currently Director of Research and Knowledge Exchange for the Department of Psychology. In addition to the supervision of PhD, MSc and undergraduate research projects, I teach Health Psychology on our MSc Health Psychology and BSc Psychology programmes. I also hold an honorary title as Adjunct Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Western Australia.
Current research projects are investigating the interplay between personality, stress and physical health. Specifically, a current programme of work is focussed on the development of expressive writing interventions for enhancing psychological and physical wellbeing. I am also broadly interested in understanding psychological factors which influence sexual health.
I am actively involved in the British Psychological Society (BPS), and am currently a member of the BPS Research Board and the Psychobiology Section Committee. I am External Examiner for the MRes Psychology programme at the University of Chester.